Blueprints Visual Scripting for Unreal Engine

Publisher\'s note: This edition from 2019 is based on Unreal Engine 4 and does not make use of the most recent Unreal Engine features. A new third edition, updated for Unreal Engine 5 blueprints including new topics, such as implementing procedural generation and creating a product configurator, has now been published.

Key Features

• Design a fully functional game in UE4 without writing a single line of code
• Implement visual scripting to develop gameplay mechanics, UI, visual effects, VR and artificial intelligence
• Deploy your game on multiple platforms and share it with the world

Book Description

Blueprints is the visual scripting system in Unreal Engine that enables programmers to create baseline systems and can be extended by designers.

This book helps you explore all the features of the Blueprint Editor and guides you through using Variables, Macros, and Functions. You’ll also learn about object-oriented programming (OOP) and discover the Gameplay Framework. In addition to this, you’ll learn how Blueprint Communication allows one Blueprint to access information from another Blueprint. Later chapters will focus on building a fully functional game using a step-by-step approach. You’ll start with a basic first-person shooter (FPS) template, and each chapter will build on the prototype to create an increasingly complex and robust game experience. You’ll then progress from creating basic shooting mechanics to more complex systems, such as user interface elements and intelligent enemy behavior. The skills you will develop using Blueprints can also be employed in other gaming genres. In the concluding chapters, the book demonstrates how to use arrays, maps, enums, and vector operations. Finally, you’ll learn how to build a basic VR game.

By the end of this book, you’ll have learned how to build a fully functional game and will have the skills required to develop an entertaining experience for your audience.

What you will learn

• Understand programming concepts in Blueprints
• Create prototypes and iterate new game mechanics rapidly
• Build user interface elements and interactive menus
• Use advanced Blueprint nodes to manage the complexity of a game
• Explore all the features of the Blueprint editor, such as the Components tab, Viewport, and Event Graph
• Get to grips with object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts and explore the Gameplay Framework
• Learn Virtual Reality development with UE Blueprint

Who this book is for

This book is for anyone who is interested in developing games or applications with UE4. Although basic knowledge of Windows OS is required, experience in programming or UE4 is not necessary.

Table of Contents

1. Exploring the Blueprint Editor
2. Programming with Blueprints
3. Actors and the Gameplay Framework
4. Understanding Blueprint Communication
5. Object Interaction with Blueprints
6. Enhancing Player Abilities
7. Creating Screen UI Elements
8. Creating Constraints and Gameplay Objectives
9. Building Smart Enemies with Artificial Intelligence
10. Upgrading the AI Enemies
11. Game States and Applying Finishing Touches
12. Building and Publishing
13. Data structures and Flow Control
14. Math and Trace nodes
15. Blueprints tips
16. Introduction to VR Development

Marcos Romero is the author of the Romero Blueprints blog, which is one of the main references on the internet to learn about Blueprints. Epic Games invited Marcos to the Unreal Engine 4 closed beta program to experiment and collaborate with the evolution of the tools. He was also one of the first recipients of Unreal Dev Grants for Education. Marcos is a well-known figure in the Unreal community and, for Epic Games, he wrote the official Blueprints Compendium and Blueprints Instructor's Guide.

Brenden Sewell is a game designer and creative director with over a decade of experience leading teams in the development of compelling interactive experiences that entertain and inspire. Prior to joining Bossfight Entertainment to work on some upcoming secret projects, he explored the intersection of social impact and entertainment serving as the Creative Director for E-line Media. He has led developments from concept to live support on a variety of games ranging from a brain-training first-person shooter to a construction sandbox exploring the future of digital fabrication.